Gout

[Old Croc]

Have you discovered the source? Where is it?

Oh, you mean the grog. If only it was that simple.

I've tried every different type of dietary cure you can come up with, including laying off alcohol for long periods. If you believe that's the cure-all you probably also believe in the tooth fairy.

[Pink Mist]

Gout is a disease an incurable one at that.

Treatment is to reduce the sufferers ability to produce "Uric Acid" from certain or all foods and drink.

Allopurinol is a usual form of treatment as it limits the bodies ability to produce the acid, colchicine is used to rid the body of the acid, both treatments can be used in conjunction when necessary.

Alchohol and seafood were the traditional culprits, but in reality any food can bring it on depending on the individual.

It's a life sentence people, so stick to your meds and drink at least 2 litres of water per day and all should be good.

cheers Guys

[expatwannabe]

The cure for too much acid in your bloodstream is to increase alkaline levels.

* celery

* cherries or cherry juice

[Pink Mist]

absolutely wrong, there is no cure, the body manufactures the acid, there is only medication.

[expatwannabe]

absolutely wrong, there is no cure, the body manufactures the acid, there is only medication.

You'd make a good establishment doctor!

[junkofdavid2]

I kid you not!

I had a really bad gout attack on my left big toe.

Ate half a pound of dried cherries (from Siam Paragon supermarket) and 5000mg of vitamin C and it was gone.

Found out about it from the internet.

Warning though... these 'internet' sources also say that while Vitamin C can lower uric acid levels in the blood, it can do so quite quickly and thus, the sudden drop in uric acid levels can worsen the gout pain in the near term.

Worked for me but do it at your own risk!

[robertthegreat]

Where did you get your allopurinol from i can get ziloric but they are not cheap 150b for ten will have to try the chinese places they allways seam cheaper.

[lopburi3]

You are right about the brand name being very high priced here. Any larger pharmacy will have generic available and that will be much cheaper. I use hospital pharmacy so can not advise on specific locations.

[jackspratt]

Where did you get your allopurinol from i can get ziloric but they are not cheap 150b for ten will have to try the chinese places they allways seam cheaper.

Got mine from the pharmacy at the local hospital - 100 for 75 baht.

[Big A]

I suffered from it for years and years. I got both my legs amputated below the knee. No problems now!!

[Prakanong]

If I feel a twinge I take colchinine and a naproxen - just started with the colchinine

One Dr recently tried to put me on Allapurinol and told me bullshit it was for 3 months only - its for life and as every drug can have AE's told him where to get off.

I spoke with my GP and with Dr's who are researchers at the pharma I work at and they said no need for allapurinol as I have only ever had 2 major attacks.

My Uric Acid is constantly high though and I have it monitored but GP says I must be quite tolerant to it having as few attacks as I have had.

[Wrong Turn]

It's good to hear of all of your ideas and what has worked for you.

I've had several attacks. Most of them severe.

I've done a lot of research, as most of you have.

Maybe this is why my gout attacks have not occurred for 4+ months.

I drink minimum 3+ Liters of water per day

Take Fish Oil 3-4xs per days with meals.

It's hard to say.

[Prakanong]

It's good to hear of all of your ideas and what has worked for you.

I've had several attacks. Most of them severe.

I've done a lot of research, as most of you have.

Maybe this is why my gout attacks have not occurred for 4+ months.

I drink minimum 3+ Liters of water per day

Take Fish Oil 3-4xs per days with meals.

It's hard to say.

I think the water thing is a good one - it flushes you out plus the times I get twinges are when I am dehydrated ie a few days on the beer (although the beer itself is bad too)

Just before christmas I was baking more than usual and amazing the girls in my office who think that an ang moh can not cook, esp a man. I was putting in walnuts and each morning after I got a twinge so it might just be certain types of nuts that also set me off.

I seem to be fine with red meat, pate and red wine - in moderation of course

[Wrong Turn]

It's good to hear of all of your ideas and what has worked for you.

I've had several attacks. Most of them severe.

I've done a lot of research, as most of you have.

Maybe this is why my gout attacks have not occurred for 4+ months.

I drink minimum 3+ Liters of water per day

Take Fish Oil 3-4xs per days with meals.

It's hard to say.

I think the water thing is a good one - it flushes you out plus the times I get twinges are when I am dehydrated ie a few days on the beer (although the beer itself is bad too)

Just before christmas I was baking more than usual and amazing the girls in my office who think that an ang moh can not cook, esp a man. I was putting in walnuts and each morning after I got a twinge so it might just be certain types of nuts that also set me off.

I seem to be fine with red meat, pate and red wine - in moderation of course

My brief gout history:

I am a chronic gout sufferer. I've had over 200 attacks. The first one was when I was 32, in Bangkok.

I've seen 3 separate doctors in the U.S. and a couple in South East Asia. The info on the web is very comprehensive, and doctors basically say the same thing as the instructions for diet on the web.

What triggers gout in some people, doesn't trigger it in others. And what alleviates gout in some folks, doesn't alleviate it in others.

I think the best bet is to find out what works best for us, individually. Even taking notes can help.

I agree with you, Prakanong, that water seems to have helped me. I drink about 4 liters per day. And when a gout attacks is lurking, and on it's way, I start drinking a lot of water. I think it has helped.

And diet of course, also.

Cheers, and good luck avoiding and fighting the gout.

It's nasty.

[Hssl]

My Old Man swears by Cherries in any form

[Prakanong]

My Old Man swears by Cherries in any form

Along with cranberries thats another one I have often heard.

The time I had a chronic attack in 2004 was just after I had drank a lot of cranberry juice and the week before I had done the same but only got a twinge.

Maybe the cranberry releases the uric acid and too much all at once produces too much. This would be similar to allapurinol as you do not start that stuff during an attack as it can make it worse.

The idea might be to have a little cranberry or cherry ach day to release the uric acid gradually and not allow a build up??

I am on hypertension medication too and one of the most common adverse effects of my ype is increased gout attacks too.

[Pink Mist]

absolutely wrong, there is no cure, the body manufactures the acid, there is only medication.

You'd make a good establishment doctor!

so are you saying that it's a curable disease?

[Wrong Turn]

My Old Man swears by Cherries in any form

Along with cranberries thats another one I have often heard.

The time I had a chronic attack in 2004 was just after I had drank a lot of cranberry juice and the week before I had done the same but only got a twinge.

Maybe the cranberry releases the uric acid and too much all at once produces too much. This would be similar to allapurinol as you do not start that stuff during an attack as it can make it worse.

The idea might be to have a little cranberry or cherry ach day to release the uric acid gradually and not allow a build up??

I am on hypertension medication too and one of the most common adverse effects of my ype is increased gout attacks too.

There are numerous independent and valid studies that reveal Cranberries and Cranberry Juice alleviate and reduce your chances of gout.

Bromelain in pineapples also has proven to help against inflammation.

Check out some of the medical web sites or books on gout treatment and gout prevention.

Edited January 3, 2008 by Wrong Turn

[jackspratt]

I suffered from it for years and years. I got both my legs amputated below the knee. No problems now!!

Congratulations Stumpy

Can you give us the name of your surgeon?

[Big A]

^^

Stumpy McNulty!!

[bob4you]

I take 2 Indomethacin (generic brand & 2 Thylinol) 2 times a day, keeps it under control for 24 hours, if I skip more than 2 time in a day it acts up. Very inexpensive solution as 25 mg of Indomethacin costs only 1/2 Baht at my Pharmacy.

[Prakanong]

My Old Man swears by Cherries in any form

Along with cranberries thats another one I have often heard.

The time I had a chronic attack in 2004 was just after I had drank a lot of cranberry juice and the week before I had done the same but only got a twinge.

Maybe the cranberry releases the uric acid and too much all at once produces too much. This would be similar to allapurinol as you do not start that stuff during an attack as it can make it worse.

The idea might be to have a little cranberry or cherry ach day to release the uric acid gradually and not allow a build up??

I am on hypertension medication too and one of the most common adverse effects of my ype is increased gout attacks too.

There are numerous independent and valid studies that reveal Cranberries and Cranberry Juice alleviate and reduce your chances of gout.

Bromelain in pineapples also has proven to help against inflammation.

Check out some of the medical web sites or books on gout treatment and gout prevention.

Yeah but how do cranberries do it?

By making sure your body releases the uric acid daily and not allowing build up just like Allipurinol?

I think its time to ask my pal in the next office (Oncologist).

[Prakanong]

I take 2 Indomethacin (generic brand & 2 Thylinol) 2 times a day, keeps it under control for 24 hours, if I skip more than 2 time in a day it acts up. Very inexpensive solution as 25 mg of Indomethacin costs only 1/2 Baht at my Pharmacy.

Cox inhibitors long term are not a good thing though???

Lithium retention and risk of peptic ulcer among other things

Then if you suffer from hypertension as many other gout sufferers do including myself care must be taken if on potassium sparing diuretics

[Wrong Turn]

My Old Man swears by Cherries in any form

Along with cranberries thats another one I have often heard.

The time I had a chronic attack in 2004 was just after I had drank a lot of cranberry juice and the week before I had done the same but only got a twinge.

Maybe the cranberry releases the uric acid and too much all at once produces too much. This would be similar to allapurinol as you do not start that stuff during an attack as it can make it worse.

The idea might be to have a little cranberry or cherry ach day to release the uric acid gradually and not allow a build up??

I am on hypertension medication too and one of the most common adverse effects of my ype is increased gout attacks too.

There are numerous independent and valid studies that reveal Cranberries and Cranberry Juice alleviate and reduce your chances of gout.

Bromelain in pineapples also has proven to help against inflammation.

Check out some of the medical web sites or books on gout treatment and gout prevention.

Yeah but how do cranberries do it?

Prakanong,

I've read a lot about the cranberries on medical websites and in books about these studies.

I can't recall the exact reasons why. But it has been proven. Cranberries is actually considered to be the best, or one of the best methods. Of course, if Allopurinol is working and your liver is handling it, I certainly wouldn't change.

After having so many terrible attacks, I really started researching info. As much information as I could. As I've said before, I've seen doctors in Thailand, Vietnam and in the U.S. about this.

I call gout the "demon."

It used to strike when I least expected it. It can interfere with a lot of things, worst of all, sleep.

For now, the "demon" has gone away. It's been a few months now since I had an attack, and it was an attack in my knee. So bad, I couldn't move my knee, and I was unable to walk down stair properly for months. It really scared me. Gout can cause permanent damage in certain instances.

And the "demon," will probably be back. What I have to do is keep fighting it, to ward if off, and alleviate when it strikes next.

[expatwannabe]

My understanding was that the reason cranberries, cherries and celery were good for gout was because they were high alkaline. Since the problem with gout is high uric acid buildup in the bloodstream, the alkaline somehow balances it and allows your body to purge the acid.

That's not to say these are long-term cures, as obviously some people must have liver or kidney problems for their bodies to be accumulating uric acid in the first place. But if you can lead a relatively normal life with a slight diet change, it's certainly worth considering..

[BEENTHEREDONETHAT]

I have had the gout close to ten years. When I first got it a couple indocid pills and it was gone like magic. Then they became less and less effective until a couple of months ago they seemed to provide no relief at all. The Doctor put me on alliprinol and that did the job but I had to take it daily and it cost about 6 baht a pill. A friend said she could pick up the generic in BKK much cheaper. She got me 400 tablets 300m for a total of 520 baht. They were called purinol work just as well as the allipurinol. Thinking about reducing the daily dose to half a pill or 150mg.

[mxyzptlk]

I've also had gout for approx 10 years but have it under control by taking Allopurinal 300mg every day. Never had an attack since I started taking it.

[FBN]

Topics merged..

[Wrong Turn]

.

BTW, many western Doctors are not prescribing Colchicine any more, but if it works and doesn't give you a case of the screaming shites...go for it. :-)

I am a chronic gout sufferer. I visited the US about 1 1/2 years ago and was given a colchicine prescription.

Why is it NOT give anymore?

Side-effects? A recent study that showed negative results?

Thanks chuchok.

[Wrong Turn]

Doctor put me on alliprinol and that did the job but I had to take it daily.....Thinking about reducing the daily dose to half a pill or 150mg.

My potential problem with Allopurinol.

I got a prescription from an American doctor in South East Asia.

He told me to start with 100MG for a week, and then increase it to 300MGs.

After starting the 100MGs, for a week, I got a gout attack. I stopped taking the Allopurinol, as you're supposed when you have an attack.

Then, I waited 2 weeks and started taking 100MGs of Allopurinol again. After a few days, another gout attack.

I stopped again.

I've read that this is common - that when you first start taking Allopurinol it may trigger an attack.

Did any of you ever have this problem?

TIA.